Edgar andrew shields



IINTTED ST TES PATENT Urricn.

EDGAR ANDREW SHIELDS, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

PUZZLE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 605,191, dated June '7, 1898.

Application filed September 15 1897. Serial No. 651,737. (No model.)

plete specification, such as will enable thoseskilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to puzzles; and the object thereof is to provide an improved device of this class which is simple in construction, but the solution of which is exceedingly difficult, said solution being capable of accomplishment, however, by the exercise of care, skill, and ingenuity in the manipulation of the various parts thereof.

A further object of the invention is to produce what I call a miners puzzle, and the invention is fully disclosed in the following specification, of which the accompanying drawings form a part, in which- Figure 1 is a plan View of my improved puzzle with all the parts thereof in the position which they assume preparatory to the beginning of the solution of the puzzle; Fig. 2, a similar View showing the parts in the position they assume when the puzzle is solved, and Fig. 3 a section on the line 3 3 of Fig. 2.

In the drawings forming part of this specification the separate parts of my improvement are designated by the same numerals of reference in each of the views, and in the practice of my invention I provide a rectangular box or casing 5, which consists of a bottom 6, the sides of which are provided with vertical walls or flanges 7, and in the solution of the puzzle, hereinafter described, the box or casing is held in the position shown in Figs. 1 and 2, and for the purpose of description the front side thereof is designatedby the reference-numeral 8 and the rear side bythe verse line, and this interior raised portion 12 is raised to a level with the side walls or flanges 7 and is provided centrally with a raised wall 13, which connects with the front wall or flange 8 of the box or casing and at each end with two angular extensions 14, which also project inthe direction of the front wall or flange 8. a

The raised body portion 12 is also provided at its rear sidefand ends with outwardly-directed extensions 15, which project in the dircction of the right and left side walls or flanges 10 and 11, and these extensions are provided with projections 16, which extend in the direction of the rear wall 9 and parallel with the right and left side walls, and the ends of these projecting raised portions 16 are provided with inwardly and outwardly directed angular extensions 17, the ends of which extend in the direction of the rear wall or flange 9.

Each of the right and left walls or flanges 10 and 11 is provided at a predetermined distance from the front wall or flange 8 with inwardly-directed projections 18, and placed near each corner of the box or casing are vertical rectangular lugs or projections 19, which are detached from all the other raised portions of the box or casing and also from the sidewalls or flanges, and between the back:

wardly-directed angular extensions 17 of the vertical walls 16, which form projections of the extensions 15, and in front of the central raised portion 12 aretvertical parallel walls 20, whi chare parallel with the side walls or flanges 10 and 11, and each of which is provided at its oppositeends with inwardly-directed extensions 21,"Which are separatedby the open space, and between the vertical walls 20 is an open rectangular space, as clearly shown in the drawings. I also provide a plurality of blocks or figures 22, wl1icl1 are preferably colored black and which-represent miners, and which are preferably eight innurnbei', and a corresponding number of blocks or figures 23, which represent the baggage of the miners, and theseblocks or figures are designated by diagonal lines, as

clearly shown in the drawings, and I also" pro-,

vide a corresponding number of blocks 24, which represent gold.

The blocks or figures which represent the miners, the baggage, and the gold are equal in number, and any desired number of said blocks or figures may be selected, and the blocks or figures which represent gold in the construction shown in the drawings are desi gnated by diagonal lines which intersect each other; but these various sets of blocks or figures may be designated in any desired manner.

The interior open space in the box or casing and the various parts thereof, with the exception of the space occupied by the blocks or figures 22, 23, and 24 and with the exception of the vacant space 26, is occupied by movable blocks or figures 25, which are also designated or distinguished from the other sets of blocks or figures 22, 23, and 24:, and at the beginning of the solution of the puzzle the various sets of blocks or figures are arranged as shown in Fig. 1, and the solution of the puzzle consists in manipulating said blocks or figures so as to rearrange them as shown in Fig.2. In this solution each of the black blocks or figures must be moved so as to join one of the blocks or figures 23, which represent the baggage, and these two are then moved around so as to join one of the blocks or figures 24:, which represent the gold, and the three are then moved so as to leave the block 23 in the left-hand rear corner, as shown in Fig. 2, and the block or figure 24 in the left-hand front corner, as shown in Fig. 2, and the block or figure 22 into the position shown in Fig. 2. The exact method of performing this operation, however, is not material, the only object being to so manipulate or move the blocks or figures without raising or removing any block or figure from the box or casing, so that they will assume the position shown in Fig. 2. This solution is exceedingly difficult, but may be accomplished by the exercise of care, skill, and ingenuity in the manipulation of the various parts of the puzzle.

Having fully described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent 1. Apuzzle, comprisinga box orcasing composed of a bottom and vertical side walls, said box or casing being provided interiorly with an angular raised body portion having upon one side angular extensions which project first toward the end walls of the box'or casing, and then toward one of the side walls, and an extension upon the other side which is connected with the other side wall, the interior of said boxor casing being also provided with detached angular vertical walls partially inclosed by said angular extensions between which is a rectangular space having side openings, and with four sets of bodies or figures, three sets of which are equal in number and each designated from the other by coloring or otherwise, and the other set being also designated from the first three by coloring or otherwise, said box or casing being also provided with one vacant space, substantially as described.

2. A puzzle, comprising a box or casing composed of a bottom and vertical side walls, said box or casing being provided interiorly with an angular raised body portion having upon one side angular extensions which project first toward the end walls of the box or casing, and then toward one of the side walls, and an extension upon the other side which is connected with the other side wall, the interior of said box or casing being also provided with detached angular vertical Walls partially inclosed by said angular extensions between which is a rectangular space having side openings, and with four sets of bodies or figures, three sets of which are equal in number and each designated from the other by coloring or otherwise, and the other set being also designated from the first three by coloring or otherwise, said box or casing being also provided with one .vacant space, and in each corner thereof with angular detached raised bodies or portions, substantially as described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my invention I have signed my name, in presence of the subscribing witnesses, this 13th day of September, 1897.

EDGAR ANDREI/V SHIELDS.

Witnesses:

C. GERsT, A. C. VAN BLARCOM. 

